Professional Documents
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Gbcres24 1
Gbcres24 1
Registration Number S/74662 under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961
P.O. Shree Mayapur Dham, Dist. Nadia, West Bengal 741313
https://gbc.iskcon.org
Resolved that:
The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission Society shall be held from
February 14–23, 2025, at ISKCON Mayapur, WB, India
Whereas the process to become a Global Duty Officer and Zonal Supervisor prior to entering the GBC
Nomination process is effective in training potential nominees for GBC membership.
Whereas there is a provision to circumvent the current Nominations process by a 4/5ths vote of the GBC
under emergency or special circumstances;
Whereas some GBC members have asked the Nominations Committee to build in some further flexibility
and creativity in the current nomination process during the next 5 years of extreme shift in the GBC
membership and the time needed to get quality devotees in the future GBC pipeline.
Whereas the training and engagement of Zonal Supervisors is focused on local and zonal management
and that of Global Duty Officers on specific global functions in ISKCON which do not necessary require
travelling out of the zone unless specifically outlined in the GDO project.
Whereas the training and evaluation of future GBC nominees will be strengthened by their attending and
participating in GBC meetings along with in-service training and supervision.
Whereas the removal of the preliminary intervals of Assistant and Acting GBC deprives the individual and
the group of the advantages of nominees attending and participating in GBC meetings and other GBC
group engagements, sub-committee participation etc.
The GBC Nominations Committee will assess the qualifications of each stage and report and recommend
to the GBC.
Before becoming a GBC member with voting rights, one is required to first become an Assistant GBC and
later an Acting GBC under the guidance of a GBC member. This assumes a potential nominee has
completed the existing nomination process as is currently in effect.
After at least one year, or maximum two, an Assistant GBC can become an Acting GBC by a 2/3rds vote of
the GBC Body.
After at least one year, or maximum two, an Acting GBC may become a Full GBC with Voting rights by a
2/3rds vote of the GBC Body.
At either stage of the process, if the candidate is not confirmed to move to the next stage within the two-
year period, the candidate will be dropped from the list. During the same period the candidate may decide
to opt out as well.
Whereas currently according to the current Minimum Cow Protection Standards for ISKCON, section 2.IX.4
“Permitted”:
4. Leasing Cows. Arrangements for leasing cows to others is permitted if it can contribute to the overall
goal of cow protection, and if the lessee is legally bound to abide by all Cow Protection Standards,
ISKCON GBC Law 507 Minimum Cow Protection Standards 14 including, but not limited to,
arrangements made for lifetime protection of both cow and calf.
Whereas the Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture believes the above is not currently in the best
interests of cow protection.
The above Cow Protection standard 2.IX.4 “Permitted”, allowing the leasing of cows, is suspended until
further notice. Exceptional requests to lease cows, calves, bulls, or oxen must be submitted to the regional
representative of the Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture for approval.
450.03: ISKCON Child Protection Office: Other
[Title] — ICPO Year Plan 2024-25 — 2024
[Meeting] — Annual General Meeting
[Category] — Action Order
[Date passed] — March 9, 2024
Whereas upon completion of the discussions held on 1st and 3rd March 2024 between Kamalesh Krishna
dasa, ICPO Director, and the GBC Body, Kamalesh Krishna dasa acknowledged shortcomings on his part,
and the GBC recognized the need for increased support of the International Child Protection Office, and
upon Kamalesh Krishna dasa’s request to have certainty on his continued role in the ICPO.
1. For 2024-2025, the GBC has increased the ICPO’s budget to USD 54,000.
2. Kamalesh Krishna dasa is reappointed to serve as the ICPO Director for a period of one (1) year,
until March 1, 2025.
3. An interim Oversight Committee, as deemed necessary by the CPO Review and Working
Committees, shall be appointed by the GBC.
a. The primary and ongoing role of this Committee is to ensure CPO policies and procedures
are properly followed now and into the future.
b. The Oversight Committee shall not participate in any adjudications and/or investigations.
4. During the upcoming year the following will be priorities for the ICPO:
a. The ICPO Director, is to prioritize the finalization of any pending cases, particularly those in
Bangladesh and Mayapur during this year. The GBC will assist in any way it can upon
request.
b. The ICPO shall work forthwith with the Bharat CPO to create a shared list of review panel
members (including several from India) that can be drawn from for any India cases. The
ICPO will work with Regional CPOs, including the Bharat CPO, in a way to share information
for future functioning.
c. The ICPO Director shall support and permit Regional CPOs to establish their own review
panels in their respective regions comprising of trained and qualified members.
d. All new review panel members are to undergo the foundational adjudication training
provided by the Justice Ministry and supplemented by the ICPO.
e. The ICPO Director shall provide detailed quarterly updates on the caseload and progress
reports in a format to be jointly agreed upon between himself and the Oversight Committee.
f. The ICPO Director shall provide the Oversight Committee with a detailed annual account of
CPO expenses and an annual budget request.
g. The ICPO Director undertakes to ensure that he will render his fullest cooperation to the
Oversight Committee in respect of sharing information and documents as and when
necessary, as determined by the Oversight Committee.
The Oversight Committee shall monitor progress in these areas and offer its assistance where
needed.
5. A Co-Director may be appointed by the GBC during this year to serve in the ICPO. This will be done
in consultation with Kamalesh Krishna dasa.
6. During 2024, the GBC will be considering a restructuring of the ICPO, and its processes based on a
review from the Executive Secretariat Office (ESO), as well as the policies adopted from the 2023
Child Protection Review Committee and Working Group. The ICPO Director is directed to serve as
an advisor to those processes.
Premise:
Although the nomenclature of the proposal is “Initiating in the presence of one’s Diksa Guru”, the
proposers are of the opinion that the essence of it, namely: a) Keeping the centrality of the Founder-
Acarya in the lives of the future generations of both gurus and disciples, b) Having gurus with an
appropriate level of training, advancement, maturity and being of high character, and c) Maintaining
the unity of the movement by having gurus and disciples remaining loyal and obedient to ISKCON
and the GBC Body, will be fundamental in any resolution dealing with the guru-disciple relationship.
The present proposal is a revisitation of the 2019 Resolution that took a lot of time and energy and
was passed near-unanimously by the GBC Body; (this Resolution was then abruptly replaced during
COVID through GEM without much discussion by an earlier one that is now current). This revised
edition of the 2019 Resolution we are now proposing is more focused on training, less restrictive, and
actually consistent with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and exemplary actions.
Whereas the replacement of the 2019 Resolution with an earlier one had taken place through an
insufficient GEM discussion, so much so that many GBC Members hadn’t realized that a change had taken
place,
"As taught by Srila Prabhupada, the etiquette of not initiating in the presence of one’s diksa-guru will
be upheld in ISKCON. However, Srila Prabhupada and historical precedents also teach us that
disciples may sometimes initiate in the physical presence of their diksa-gurus, if so directed by them.
In such a case, the disciple should go through the normal procedure for commencing the service of
diksa-guru."
The 2019 Governing Law “Conditions for second-generation Diksa-gurus” be reintroduced in a modified
form as follows:
As taught by Srila Prabhupada, the etiquette of not initiating in the presence of one’s diksa-guru will
be upheld in ISKCON. However historical precedents also teach us that disciples may sometimes,
in exceptional cases, initiate in the physical presence of their diksa-gurus.
The GBC clarifies that an individual devotee taking up the service of diksa-guru in the physical
presence of their guru may be allowed as an exception when the following conditions are met. The
Guru Services Committee will confirm that the candidate for becoming a next generation guru has
met all these conditions:
Mandatory Conditions:
2. The candidate’s diksa-guru has affirmed in writing to the GBC Body that he agrees the candidate is
suitable for this service and that he gives his blessings.
3. A letter of approval for the candidate to take up the role of diksa-guru has been received from the
Regional Council, or if none exists, the National Council, Area Council or, if none of the above
exists, the GBC member of that area where the candidate primarily serves or resides.
4. All standard procedures for commencing the service of diksa-guru according to ISKCON law,
including required training and other conditions as outlined and codified by the Guru Service
Committee, as well as additional appropriate training from diksa- and/or siksa- gurus, have been
met.
5. Final acceptance of the candidate to begin initiating is affirmed by a 2/3 vote of the GBC Body.
• The candidate’s own diksa-guru should retire completely from accepting disciples or agrees to
immediately retire upon the guru’s disciple accepting his own disciples. This is true especially if the
currently initiating guru is overburdened with responsibilities and/or is experiencing serious health
problems.
• The area in which the candidate will initiate has a substantial number of devotees wanting initiation,
and a shortage of gurus to do this service.
• Language barriers necessitate gurus who speak the local language in specified areas.
Optional conditions that may be applied in an individual case, per a 2/3 vote of the GBC:
• When the candidate takes up the service of diksa-guru he will only be able initiate in a specific
area(s).
• The number of disciples the new diksa-guru may initiate can be limited by the GBC.
The responsibility of ensuring that all conditions for next generation diksa-gurus as listed above rests with
the respective Local Area Councils nominating such candidates and confirmed by the Guru Services
Committee.
Resolved that:
Resolved that:
Resolved that:
The GBC accepts the resignation of Bhakti-bhusana Swami. His resignation is effective at the conclusion of
the 2024 AGM.
Resolved that:
The GBC accepts the resignation of Bhaktimarga Swami. His resignation is effective at the conclusion of
the 2024 AGM.
Resolved that:
The GBC accepts the resignation of Niranjana Swami. His resignation is effective at the conclusion of the
2024 AGM.
Resolved that:
The GBC accepts the resignation of Malati devi dasi. Her resignation is effective on December 31, 2024.
Resolved that:
The GBC accepts the resignation of Radhanath Swami. His resignation is effective at the conclusion of the
2024 AGM.
Resolved that:
The Leave of Absence of Romapada Swami is extended by a further one year to March 2, 2025.
Resolved that:
The following are the candidates for sannyasa along with their respective waiting periods:
Valmiki dasa (CCCD) This year
*Note: The sannyasa waiting period system is changing and thus new candidates will not have a stipulated
annual waiting period any more.
The following are the Ministry and Standing Committees and their membership assignments for 2024-25:
Congregational Development
Minister – Jayapataka Swami
Ministry
Ananta Sesa dasa (IDS), Pancharatna dasa, Govinda Priya devi dasi
GBC Strategic Planning
(RNS), Parijata dasi (RNS), Aradhya Bhagavan dasa (BCS), Tosan
Team
Nimai dasa (RNS)
GBC Vaisnava Calendar Members — Bhanu Swami, Gopalapriya dasa (BVS), Sadasivananda
Committee dasa (JPD), Bhaktarupa dasa (Convener)
Sri Ratnesh Singh Chandel aka Rasa Parayana dasa (GKG), Partner, Kothari Chandel & Co Chartered
Accountants 219/220 Office No. 2, Murlidhar Apartment, Kelkar Road, Narayan Peth, Pune 411030, is
appointed as statutory auditor for the year 2024-25.
810.01: Global Duty Officer appointments: New appointments
[Title] — New Global Duty Officers — 2024
[Meeting] — Annual General Meeting
[Category] — Action Order
[Date passed] — March 9, 2024
Resolved that:
1. Asitaradhya dasa (VVPS) is appointed as Global Duty Officer for Global Duties Office.
2. Indresa Gaura dasa (BBGS) is appointed as Global Duty Officer for Govinda’s Model.
3. Acyuta Priya dasa (RNS) is appointed as Global Duty Officer for Devotee Care.
4. Trilokatma dasa (BVS) is appointed as Global Duty Officer for Karma Free Club.
Resolved that:
The following Global Duty Officers are reappointed for a further one-year term:
Caitanya Avatari dasa (JPS) India ISKCON initiated disciples’ database, CDM support
Krishna Premarupa dasa (BSDS) Switzerland Long Term Guru Training, Ministry of Education
Resolved that:
Dandavats 574,000
SABHA 205,000
TOTAL 16,641,900